Alternator change

foofi22

Hi

My car needs a new alternator. My headlights and dash started flickering off/on last night, RAC said the battery wasn't being charged (belt was ok)

Around how much will it cost to replace?

Car is petrol 1.1 peugeot 106 52 plate and I'm in the west midlands

Thanks

oldtoolie

It might be another component, it might be a loose connection. Your battery might need replacement as well. If you need an alternator, you could get a new, rebuilt or used alternator. So no way to tell at this point. All the RAC says is charging problem, go to a garage. But to know what it might cost, call a breaker and a parts house to price the alternator and battery and then add 1 or 2 hours of labour costs.

molerat

Having it done in a garage won't see any change from £200+. You could take the car to an auto electrician who may be able to diagnose the fault and it may be as simple as brush replacement.

An example for part cost £122.40 http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Peugeot-Partnerspace-1-1-1-4-1996-2003-Lucas-Alternator-12V-70Amp-Car-Parts-/301243012675?pt=UK_CarsParts_Vehicles_CarParts_SM&fits=Model%3A106&hash=item46237b9643
(May not be the correct part for your car as Pugs are a PITA to identify the exact replacement required due to so many different ones fitted)

colino

You need a better diagnosis than you have. A failed alternator "the battery wasn't being charged" would see all electric units slowly losing power, lights dimming until they could not light at all and the car grinding to a halt as there would be no juice to run the engine.

foofi22

Thanks

Firstly I noticed a 'whiring' noise from the engine, which got louder and higher pitch as the revs were increased (this was while stationary)

Driving the car was fine, performance was that expected of a peugeot 106!

As I drove along, very occasionally the 'battery' symbol on the dash would light up.

Once it got dark I put my dipped lights on. The 'battery' symbol then started flashing up more regularly. Then the dash illlumination started dimming and the dials reseting and the car started jerking.

When I went to just sidelights those problems stopped.

The belt looks fine.

Now does that sound like a problem with the alternator?

Thanks

onomatopoeia99

It sounds like a low voltage problem, which could very well indicate that the alternator isn't charging the battery - this would be the first thing I would check and the battery light coming on would re-inforce the likelyhood of an alternator problem.

If the alternator was working it would be putting out around 14V to charge the battery. If it isn't you will get what the battery can provide alone, which is around 12V when fully charged and will drop as the charge declines or as the load increases (more lights on, heated rear screen etc). Once it gets below 10V or so, stuff will stop working. Eventually there won't be enough go left in the battery to fire the sparks that make the fuel burn and / or allow the electronics that control the ignition to work.

shown73

I've had the same thing. I was lucky enough to be able to change the brushes in the alternator, but I suspect nowadays that is probably not an option. Not a huge job, normally, and perhaps you could source a recon.

atrixblue.-MFR-.

All motor factor and a portion of main dealer supplied alternators, (unless brand new vehicle upto 3-4 year old) will be a remanufactured part. in this case it will be a remanufactured part


very little places these day will change the brushes only, many places near me have just disappeared that would do it and now ones surviving only sell remanufactured ones.


many things will also come into play when buying one from a scrappy too air con and powersteering for e.g. you must ensure you have the right information on this or you will end up with the wrong one. buying from a motor factors youll be charged a surcharge until you old one is returned to them to send back to their providers surcharges can be anywhere from £10-150.